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For more information, please contact Brittany Wienke at bwienke@ra.org, or (+1) 646-452-1939.

For 30 years, the Rainforest Alliance has been a global leader in the conservation of forests and natural resources while advancing sustainable livelihoods. Such success can only be accomplished through strategic partnerships with players along every link in the supply chain, from producers to large multinational companies.

The Rainforest Alliance is pleased to recognize businesses and individuals committed to protecting the environment, implementing climate solutions, and supporting communities across the globe. Awards will be presented to honorees on May 10th in New York City, at the Rainforest Alliance’s 30th Anniversary Gala Celebration at the American Museum of Natural History.

"To come as far as the Rainforest Alliance has in 30 years, we needed the strength of partnership," said Nigel Sizer, President of the Rainforest Alliance. "Today, we recognize individuals and companies who are addressing some of the most significant challenges humanity has ever faced. These champions are working with us to protect forests and support farmers and communities across the world, affecting real change."

During the day on May 10, honorees and co-chairs will join CEOs, business and thought leaders, and Rainforest Alliance experts at the annual Leadership Summit to discuss strategies for implementing global sustainability and climate goals. Following the summit, participants will gather in the evening for an awards dinner, entertainment, and a silent auction.

The Rainforest Alliance recognizes Felisa Navas Pérez, a three-term president of Asociación Forestal Integral Cruce a La Colorada (AFICC), a forestry concession in the Maya Biosphere Reserve (MBR) in the Petén region of Guatemala. Navas assumed her leadership role shortly after the concession’s board president was murdered, presumably by drug traffickers who want to control local lands so they may clear forest for livestock operations (which in turn serve to launder money).

While nearby concessions have collapsed, AFICC has remained solvent and certified under Navas’s leadership.

Corporate Sustainability Champions award recognizes companies who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to sustainability, improving livelihoods, and conserving forests all around the world.

Allegro Coffee Company

AMResorts

Barry Callebaut AG

Beef Passion

Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate

Blommer Chocolate Company

Caribou Coffee

C.F. Martin & Co., Inc.

Chiquita

Clearwater Paper Company

Clif Bar

CMPC

Columbia Forest Products

Domtar

ECOM / Atlantic (USA)

Fibria

Kenya Tea Development Agency

Lavazza

Mars, Incorporated

Nestlé Nespresso SA

Olam International Ltd.

Suzano Pulp and Paper

Tesco

Unilever

People and Planet Champions award recognizes the visionary individuals, foundations, partner organizations, and government entities who have helped the Rainforest Alliance advance its mission to build strong forests and healthy communities.

Kim Bendheim

John Caulkins

Citi Foundation

Daniel Cohen (In Memoriam)

The Colombian Coffee Growers Federation

Comisión Nacional Forestal de México

Henry Davison

The Ford Foundation

Forest Stewardship Council

Dr. Karl Fossum (In Memoriam)

Global Environment Facility

Inter-American Development Bank

Elysabeth Kleinhans

Dr. Thomas E. Lovejoy

Millennium Challenge Corporation

The Milton and Tamar Maltz Family Foundation

Mitsubishi Corporation Foundation for the Americas

Jeffrey & Tessie Nedelman

Ellen Petersen

Robert W. Wilson Charitable Trust

Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales

Secretaría de Turismo de México

Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN)

The Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH)

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Alan Wilzig

Ann Ziff

The Sustainable Development Champions award recognizes the extraordinary achievements of a group of individuals and institutions working alongside local and indigenous communities in Guatemala’s Petén region to promote the economic, environmental, and social health of the Maya Biosphere Reserve and its communities.

Asociación de Comunidades Forestales de Petén

Continental Floral Greens

Defensores de la Naturaleza

General Wood Craft

Guatemala Ministry of Environment

Guatemalan Association of Exporters (AGEXPORT)

National Council of Protected Areas

North American Wood Products

United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

University of Minnesota

Maggie Lear, Tessie Nedelman, Laura Ross, and Cathy Taub are enormous fans of the Rainforest Alliance and proud Co-Chairs of tonight’s Gala. While traveling to Peru, Ecuador, and Mexico with Rainforest Alliance Executive Vice President Ana Paula Tavares, they witnessed the important work of the Rainforest Alliance firsthand. These visits provided them with opportunities to meet the knowledgeable farmers, foresters, eco-tourism professionals and Rainforest Alliance’s field experts, who are helping to conserve our planet for their children and future generations. They are delighted to be a part of the celebration and honor many outstanding environmental leaders and forward-thinking companies.